Part 9 (2/2)
said Spike, with pride.
”Good. I'm glad you're all right. There's no reason why we shouldn't have an excellent time here. I don't think that Mr. McEachern will turn us out, after he's heard one or two little things I have to say to him. Just a few reminiscences of the past which may interest him. I have the greatest affection for Mr. McEachern, though he did club me once with his night stick; but nothing shall make me stir from here for the next week at any rate.”
”Not on your life,” agreed Spike. ”Say, Mr. Chames, he must have got a lot of plunks to buy dis place. And I know how he got dem, too. Dat's right. I comes from old New York meself.”
”Hush, Spike, this is scandal!”
”Sure,” said the Bowery boy doggedly, securely mounted now on his favorite hobby horse. ”I knows, and youse knows, Mr. Chames. Gee, I wish I'd bin a cop. But I wasn't tall enough. Dey's de fellers wit' de long green in der banks. Look at dis old McEachern. Money to boin a wet dog wit', he's got, and never a bit of woik for it from de start to de finish. An' look at me, Mr. Chames.”
”I do, Spike, I do.”
”Look at me. Getting busy all de year round, woiking to beat de band all----”
”In prisons oft,” said Jimmy.
”Dat's right. And chased all roun' de town. And den what? Why, to de bad at de end of it all. Say, it's enough to make a feller----”
”Turn honest.” said Jimmy. ”You've hit it, Spike. You'll be glad some day that you reformed.”
But on this point Spike seemed to be doubtful. He was silent for a moment; then, as if following upon a train of thoughts, he said: ”Mr.
Chames, dis is a fine big house.”
”Splendid!”
”Say, couldn't we----”
”Spike!” said Jimmy warningly.
”Well, couldn't we?” said Spike doggedly. ”It ain't often youse b.u.t.ts into a dead-easy proposition like dis one. We shouldn't have to do a t'ing excep' git busy. De stuff's just lying about, Mr. Chames.”
”I have noticed it.”
”Aw, it's a waste to leave it.”
”Spike,” said Jimmy, ”I warned you of this. I begged you to be on your guard, to fight against your professional instincts; and you must do it. I know it's hard, but it's got to be done. Try and occupy your mind. Collect b.u.t.terflies.”
Spike shuffled in gloomy silence.
”'Member dose jools we got in de hotel de year before I was copped?”
he asked at length irrelevantly.
Jimmy finished tying his tie, looked at the result for a moment in the gla.s.s, then replied: ”Yes, I remember.”
”We got anudder key dat fitted de door. 'Member dat?”
Jimmy nodded.
”And some of dose knock-out drops. What's dat? Chloryform? Dat's right. An' we didn't do a t'ing else. An' we lived for de rest of de year on dose jools.”
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